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Multichannel Preamp

I had a thread some time ago (see end of post) asking about this subject. At the time many of the good (or only) multichannel preamps available at a bargain were older processors made for home theater that no one wanted because the technology was outdated. Now, you have Bel Canto, McIntosh, McCormack, Audio Refinement (to name the ones Stereophile "Music In the Round" has reviewed) and some others who have made simple multichannel preamps for multichannel DVD-A, SACD, or connection to a DVD player with its own decoding.
Now that this much time has past, can anyone compare these units as well as any new ones? Dare I ask which is the best?
Thanks
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?home&1076885980&openusid&zzJimmy2615&4&5#Jimmy2615
jimmy2615

Showing 3 responses by jeffreybehr

jeffreybehr's avatar
jeffreybehr
805 posts
 
Mjcmt's wish for more-affordable multichannel preamps certainly won't be met with Jack's recommendation of the Golden Triode Multichannel--$25K!!!!!!!!!!! I imagine they'll sell 2 or 3 this year. :-)

And, Jack, it's 'multichannel', not multi channel or multi-channel. :-)

Mjcmt: "I have the Audio Refinement Pre-5 and it very fine. It is basically a 2 channel preamp that has 5.1 anologue follow thru using the volume control as a master volume." Absolutely wrong in spite of the 'information' published in a couple reviews. The Pre 5 is a 6-channel preamp conceived and built as such. There's no 'pass thru'; the 6 channels are actively amplified. If anything's added on, it's the 2-channel stuff.
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jeffreybehr's avatar
jeffreybehr
805 posts
 
"...it's hard to believe if you use it"? I use it every day and I've had my fingers and soldering iron in mine MANY times. It's a 6-channel preamp, Kal. It has six channels of circuit traces, six channels of input- and output-coupling caps, six channels of gain modules, etc.

Why do you say that?
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jeffreybehr's avatar
jeffreybehr
805 posts
 
Way to go, Jimmy--you're one of the few who knows how to (not) punctuate 'multichannel'. Most of us get it wrong!

I can't compare my Audio Refinements Pre 5 6-channel preamp with anything but its predecessor, a Marantz pre/pro/tuner, the AV9000. Generally, the Pre 5 is less gritty, has a slightly bigger soundstage, and MAY retain more subtle spacial info. But I'm no GEA, so maybe I shouldn't opine.

I've modified mine; see http://community.webshots.com/album/287782641gYWTlA .
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